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Polk County, Arkansas
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,662. The county seat is Mena. Polk County is Arkansas's 48th county, formed on November 30, 1844, and named for James Polk, President of the United States. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county. Polk County is the setting for Stephen Hunter's fictional Bob Lee Swagger series, the most notable being Black Light, as well as the place where Joel B Reed's fictional character, Jazz Phillips, of the Jazz Phillips mystery series, grew up. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water. Major highways * Future Interstate 49 * U.S. Highway 59 * U.S. Highway 71 * U.S. Highway 270 * U.S. Highway 278 * Highway 4 * Highway 8 * Highway 84 * Highway 88 Adjacent counties *Scott County (north) *Montgomery County (east) *Howard County (southeast) *Sevier County (south) *McCurtain County, Oklahoma (southwest) *Le Flore County, Oklahoma (northwest) National protected area * Ouachita National Forest (part) Demographics |align-fn=center |footnote=U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2015 }} data]] As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 20,229 people, 8,047 households, and 5,793 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 9,236 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.69% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 1.49% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.72% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 3.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 8,047 households out of which 31.90% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.97. In the county the population was spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.00 males. The median income for a household in the county was $25,180, and the median income for a family was $31,379. Males had a median income of $23,397 versus $17,294 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,063. 18.20% of the population and 14.00% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 23.50% are under the age of 18 and 16.20% are 65 or older. As of 2010 Polk County had a population of 20,662. Of this population 89.77% were Non-Hispanic whites, 0.31% were blacks, 1.76% Native Americans, 0.45% Asians, 2.03% Non-Hispanics reporting one or more race and 5.76% Hispanic or Latino. Communities Cities *Mena (county seat) *Wickes Towns *Cove *Grannis *Hatfield *Vandervoort Unincorporated community *Ink Townships * Acorn (small part of Mena) * Big Fork * Cedar * Center (most of Mena) * Cove (Hatfield) * Eagle * Faulkner * Freedom * Fulton * Gap Springs * Mill Creek * Mountain * Ouachita * Ozark (Grannis, Wickes) * Potter (small part of Mena) * Rich Mountain * White (Cove, Vandervoort) See also * National Register of Historic Places listings in Polk County, Arkansas * Osro Cobb References Category:Polk County, Arkansas Category:1844 establishments in Arkansas Category:Settlements established in 1844